Petroglyph Ceramic Lounge offers a creative and engaging experience for individuals of all ages to explore the world of ceramic artistry. Enjoy this hands on experience and learn first hand about the process of glazing, firing and cooling process your ceramic masterpiece will go through to completion! 
 
1. Choose your piece
Select from an ecclectic array of of ceramic pieces, from simple dinnerware, plates, bowls and mugs, to figurines, fairy castles and jewelry boxes.
 
2. Pick your paint
Step up to  paint kiosk! There are more than 80 vibrant colors to choose from, a huge assortment of brushes and tools, and all the creative resources you'll need to bring your idea to life.
 
3. Create
Let the fun begin. Jump in and get painting. Let your creativity run wild.
 
The Process
When you’re done painting – which can take anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours – the staff at Petroglyph will glaze your piece, then fire it on-site in their professional ceramic kilns.
 
Your piece will need to dry fully, which allows colors to be their brightest after firing. Next, it is dipped in glaze. The glaze is actually liquid glass. It gets molten in the high temperatures of the kiln and is what creates the shiny, glassy finish.
 
Once glazed, your piece will be loaded into the kiln to be fired. Kiln temperatures reach an excess of 1800 degrees, and pieces are fired up to 8 hours. The firing time is determined by the size and number of pieces in the kiln. Once the firing is complete, the cooling process begins.
 
The cooling time is double the firing time. Typically, it takes up to 16 hours for pieces to cool to room temperature. When pieces are unloaded from the kiln, staff carefully hand polishes off any sharp bits of glaze that sometimes form during the firing process.
 
This is all part of the professional process that brings your beautiful, food-safe piece of ceramic art to reality. Most pieces can be picked up 2-3 days after you finish painting. The specific date and time that your piece will be ready for pick-up will be given to you prior to leaving. 
 
*The paints and glazes used are all approved as lead-free and food-safe. This means that no toxins leech into the foods and liquids that come in contact with the surfaces. In general, earthenware such as the kind you paint at Petroglyph is microwave safe, but not for ovens. Large and quick shifts in temperature can cause ceramics to crack and are not recommended.
 
Educator Package: Includes educational resources, interactive project ideas, trip organization, direct experiential opportunities to help better connect the experience with your students and complimentary chaperone painting entry for the day and ceramic piece. Does not include student admission.
 
Student Package: Includes engaging pre and post educational visit activities, trip organization, Petroglyphs painting, glazing, firing process and ceramic piece.